Coworking in the Countryside: Top 7 Destinations for Workations & Digital Nomads

Running a business today requires round-the-clock attention. The companies tend to hire a minimal number of employees, so most of the positions are presented with a single worker. When those irreplaceable employees go on vacation, there is nobody to take their responsibilities. The same applies to project managers and business owners.

But people need rest to avoid professional burnout, health issues, lack of inspiration, depression, and chronic fatigue.

Workation may be a compromising solution for people who need their job done under any circumstances. But not only for them. Managers encourage hard-working employees allowing them to take a workation and not show up at the office for some time.

These are not all examples of cases when we can talk about workation, and this gives us the ground to dig deeper into the matter. In this article, we are going to discuss workation from multiple angles and find out how to entirely meet the expectations of people working on vacation.

 

What Is a Workation

Workation has become one of the fiercely debated topics. Some publications call it work and life balance, others object that workation has nothing in common with traditional retreat.

I think everything depends on the person on workation, some really need help as they lost their ability to relax. They are scared to put their laptops aside not because they need to keep things in control or have an urgent unfinished task. They are just too anxious believing that things will go wrong as soon as they take away their eyeballs from the screen.

In truth, workation is not something meant to harm and the goal of coworking spaces targeted at people working on vacation is to provide the utmost comfort and technical support to facilitate the successful accomplishment of all the planned tasks.

But let's return to the definition.

It's obvious that the term workation is a combination of “work” and “vacation”. People go on vacation but perform their routine tasks. When do they find time to do sightseeing? After work and on weekends.

One of the peculiar characteristics of workation is timing. It is temporary. In a while, employees will go back home to their office work. Workation can last as long as agreed with the boss.

Workation is possible only for digital work. Modern employees and freelancers ask for flexible working hours and longer vacations, which can't make an employer happy. Though, a workation can become a way for an agreement.

 

Why People Go on Workation

Running coworking in the countryside you need to know your customers' motives to help them achieve their objectives.

Rural coworkings grow popularity because people see the following advantages in the workation:

• Landscape change as a way to get back inspiration and motivation.
• The opportunity to take a look at the job from another perspective.
• Relieve the stress without going on a holiday.
• Escape a rainy/cold/hot season and spend this time in comfortable weather conditions.
• Meet other people busy with the same business activities and learn new tricks from their experience.
• Get acquainted with new cultures in a foreign country.
• The opportunity for personal and professional growth.
• Become more productive.
• Make friends with teammates if several people go on workation together.
• Employers can use workation as a bonus for existing employees and one more attraction for those they want to hire.
• Workation can become a kind of trial for those who are thinking to shift to remote work.

Now let's see what drawbacks people on workation face and think how you, as a coworking in the village can address them.

• Unfortunately not every work can be digitalized and you can do nothing about it. People of certain professions (like doctors, police officers) don't qualify for workations.
• Sometimes people can't focus on work during their summer workation, which leads to failed tasks and disappointment in the whole philosophy.
• People worry about additional expenses like flights, technology, visas, etc. Although they can save on living costs depending on the country of destination.
• The necessity to rearrange the working process. For instance, be able to take part in the meeting online instead of physical presence.

You see, now you have a kind of customers' expectations and fears list. Take care of both and you'll win their hearts.

 

How to Set off on Workation

There are two ways for a person to go on workation.

1. Turn to professionals.
2. Plan everything themselves.

There are many organizations like Remote Year (which you as coworking in the countryside can partner) that arrange everything for groups and individuals on workation. The service starts with preparing arguments for the boss and goes further to organizing accommodation, meals, events, activities, connections, coworking, transfer to other destinations, and so on.

In the second case, when an individual wants to save some money, they have to organize all the above themselves, which is a bit hairy.

They can choose to take a road trip and save money on the way, especially if visiting new countries. Documents like international driving license, Passport and Travel Visa, Copies of All Identification Documents are necessary and should be taken care of beforehand.

 

How to Choose the Destination for Workation

Here I would like to highlight common people's considerations when they choose the destination for workation. Knowing them you can market your rural coworking more efficiently.

People go on workations to different places. The main thing is a reliable internet connection. Whether your coworking is situated at some exotic destination like Bali or Thailand or you are waiting for your guests at the ski resort in Courchevel or maybe it's some farm in Texas, every location has a chance.

Normally, people on workation stay at one destination for four weeks, then move to another location. It is not recommended to change places more often as the stress negatively affects productivity.

So, you have a month to show your customers that your rural coworking is the best place to restore their energy and accomplish tasks.

 

Learn from Most Popular Destinations

Do you know the best place for workation? A lot of people recommend Bali. Here are major amenities that take the location ahead of the competition.

• Good internet connection
• Safety
• Inspiring environment
• Amazing sceneries ( volcanoes, rice terraces, beaches)
• Crystal clear ocean water
• Refreshing breeze
• Specific spiritual culture
• Friendly locals
• Affordable comfort

 

Essential Amenities for People on Workation

Every coworking in the countryside boasts its set of amenities. However, some of them are absolute musts for freelancers on workation.

• Modern workspaces, furnishings, hardware, and software. A person in a rural coworking mustn't notice any compromise in terms of technics quality, internet connection, or something else. Try to make a positive impression with innovative coworking software as well. No paperwork, only hi-tech digital solutions for everything, from access control to payment.
• Supportive personnel and community. This is very important to reduce stress in a foreign country and boost productivity.
• Teambuilding events and activities as a lot of corporations chase this objective.
• Comfortable accommodations to fit any budget and desired experience.
• Networking with local entrepreneurs sharing similar interests to establish lasting business relationships and friendships.
• The possibility to book a tour from local guides for an additional cost and see the finest sites of destination. It's not about work only.
• Immersion to local culture. It may be sport competitions, local alcohol tastings, cooking classes, whatever.
• Specific flexible curriculum tailored to the team/individual on workation.

 

Best Workation Spots from Over the Globe

Below you can find some of the most aww aspiring coworkings in the village featured for your inspiration.

 

Coworkation

The company arranges short, 1-2 week trips to Bali and Thailand where every aspect of the coworkation is designed with their codes of Coworkation in mind and always remembering why they do what they do.

 

Sende

Sende is a rural coworking and coliving space in Nothern Spain. Mountain houses and gardens optimized for getting your job done. The coworking gives the possibility to enjoy the company of like-minded people, homemade food, and a supportive ambiance. Located in 20 inhabitants village.

 

Cowork Tahoe

Cowork Tahoe is South Lake Tahoe’s first coworking space and a hub of innovation for the entire South Shore. They provide an innovative way to help you get your best work done by offering not only a cool place to do it but a great community to do it with.

 

KantoorKaravaan

KantoorKaravaan offers you a workplace in the middle of nature, an experience combining your professional life with the exciting and inspirational sphere of wilderness. Designed as a mobile off-grid workplace, the KantoorKaravaan sets up camp at various locations in the countryside.

 

Sundesk Coworking

SunDesk is located in Taghazout, a vibrant seaside Berber village in the north of Agadir, southern Morocco. The former laid-back fishing village with its world-class surf spots was discovered by the hippies in the 70s. Taghazout is the perfect place to enjoy the authentic Moroccan spirit paired with the western lifestyle. SunDesk coworking is founded to give students, entrepreneurs, and professionals the opportunity to travel and work.

 

CoworkCascais

CoworkCascais offers as pure cowork in Portugal as the nature that surrounds it. This place unites several worlds in the same village, quiet but cosmopolitan. It is ideal for freelancers, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, sole proprietors, small and medium-sized companies. Here you can develop your ideas, grow your company, and have fun when go Surfing to Guincho or participating in their famous barbecues.

 

Impact Hub

Impact Hub is a rural coworking with a vibrant and passionate community in Guatemala. Antigua Guatemala is a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO. You can take part in activities, meet new friends, and enjoy this beautiful city, in addition to working on your projects. In the surroundings of the city you can visit the farms where coffee is grown, do canopy or climb volcanoes.

Didn't find a perfect place for workation? Check out this bonus location: Kiawah Vacation Rentals.

 

Final Words

Working in the coworking industry you surely track the latest business trends. Today we observe a kind of shift towards specialization. Coworking space owners provide not only a workstation, they strive to supply the best user experience ever. Specialization, like female-oriented coworkings or rural coworkings, is a proper way to make customers happy. Do you agree with me?

A few more words to coworking in the country. Workation is more about work than vacation. People going on workation have many tasks to accomplish. Your utmost goal is to help them get things done providing all necessary technical means, and not forgetting about inspiring atmosphere, networking with local entrepreneurs, sightseeing, and introduction to the exotic culture.